Help with staying in crate!

singsmom · Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2008 10:32 am Post subject: Help with staying in crate!

I had no problems with my first puppy, and I have had this little guy for only a month now and he was a rescue who had been wild before I got him- no human interaction. He even preferred his crate as a hiding place the first few days. Hershey is now 18 1/2 weeks old and was doing FINE in the crate when we were home or gone. He destroyed a few toys and pulled the stuffing out of a blanket and barked a little, but was fine, always going in on his own and usually settled quickly and last night slept for 7 1/2 hours in the crate with no accidents or getting upset.

This morning it was much cooler outside and he was SO excited and rowdy. I played with him, fed him, let him play in the house while I got ready for work and my son got ready for homeschool co-op. We let him out again and then I put a pb filled kong in the crate (and other toys) and he followed it in. He had been out of the crate for about 3-3 1/2 hours, then I left for work.

15 minutes later my son came home, because we had missed the message about a change in the schedule. It was a good thing too! The puppy had pulled (bent) part of the heavy wire crate door inward towards him and popped 2 of the wires loose. Much longer and he would have been out on his own.

Any suggestions? I didn't know he was strong enough yet to DO that. Surprise. He weighs over 40 lbs already. I think I'm in for trouble.[/i]

CherrystoneWeims · Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 12:30 am Post subject:

What kind of crate do you have?

singsmom · Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 7:43 am Post subject:

It is a large black wire crate with the plastic tray in the bottom. It is a collapsible model. (kinda heavy to carry alone) The wires appear to be tack welded that he popped off the door. I bent them back into place last night and he slept in the crate without trying to get out except for the first minute when I told him to leave the wires alone. We were not home when he pulled them off. I looked up the escape proof models and they look like prisons!

singsmom · Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 7:45 am Post subject:

The picture on the left actually has him in the crate, but the background is a little dark for you to see and he has grown over 10 lbs since I took the picture.

AmazingGrayce · Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 8:55 am Post subject:

Get an airline crate and use bungee cords and zip ties to keep it closed. I also put a blanket over his crate and it seemed to settle him down. I had an extreme problem with a dog I fostered once.

He did this:

he was such a silly boy

CherrystoneWeims · Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 12:58 pm Post subject:

gmoore · Puppy Joined: 21 Feb 2008 Posts: 23

I have a couple of aluminium crates that I use for shipping dogs. They are VERY pricey but well worth the money. I've used them for really tough fosters who want to tear up crates.
http://www.dogsportgear.com/aluminum_dog_crates.htm[/quote]

Wow. That looks like a prison cell. Shocked

Tarverfamily · Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 1:52 pm Post subject:

the airline crates the way to go from what I have heard...knocking on wood knock knock knock (great now the dogs are barking) I haven't had trouble with the wire crates. BUT have heard from others in the rescue who have and swear by the plastic ones.. Good luck!

CherrystoneWeims · Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 2:09 pm Post subject:

singsmom · Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 6:43 pm Post subject:

Thanks for all the good suggestions. Yes, he was pulling the wires IN on the door, popping them off at the bottom and prying them upward. It looked really dangerous with them poking at him. In 15 minutes he only had time to do 2 and it wasn't enough room to squeeze out. He is not destructive in the house, but he is still a young puppy and chews on things, so no telling what he might chew on and get hurt like electrical wires. If we can't watch, I want to make sure he is OK.

Funny thing is, I bent the wires back into shape, put him in the crate last night and after telling him "no" only twice he left them alone and slept in it all night. I have the crate in my room and he was never left alone and I am incredibly light sleeper. I wake up if I hear the dogs tags jingle or the old golden panting. I guess the problem is only when he is alone, but that is when I need it.

Tarverfamily · Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2008 12:29 pm Post subject:

yoko · Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2008 1:56 pm Post subject:

We've had no problems with our 6 mo old in her crate...until...

Well the last two times we've gone out for dinner and left her for about 4 hrs, she is totally WIRED when we get home. She runs out of her crate with her ears all low down and she jumps and rolls and nips and makes funny sounds... like she's been really waiting for us the entire time we were gone. Poor her, I totally imagine her stressing out on her own. The other night we could hear her yelping from outside, i thought maybe she was hurt but she just was sad.

Then last night I noticed she has chewed the front of her crate and one of the wires has popped out!!!! A little more work and she'll have another wire broken too. Yes its one of those lesser expensive, folding, black wire crates. Now I know why its important to buy a good one from the start.

Ugh, she is SO good in her crate at night and never ever complains about going in, but now I guess we are going to have to invest in a stronger crate. I hate to think that she might chew this one more and end up hurting herself, my sweet Yoko.

Tarverfamily · Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2008 9:39 pm Post subject: